I don't normally do author's notes but if you're looking for a good song for this chapter, I'd recommend 'Maps' by Maroon 5
FPOV
I was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
The world was closer – I could feel it, taste it. The heaviness that had flowed through my veins for Mother knew how many days was abating and I was able to twitch my fingers with great concentration.
Time to act.
I was priming myself mentally to fight when I awoke. The best case scenario was that I was alone and could slip away without alerting Tamlin. If Lucien was there, I would bring him back to the Night Court with me. I knew he wouldn't be particularly welcome but I owed him my life – and in the human lands we repaid our debts.
If he wasn't there… I couldn't risk waiting to find him. This was war and I needed to be back with my people.
Back with my mate.
The bond within me was still silent – I must still have had the stone bracelets clamped onto my wrists. Still, it was almost as if I could still feel Rhys, close to me. I would see him soon – see him and my family. My home. Warmth flooded me at the thought.
The return of feeling to my body was like falling asleep. Slowly, slowly – then all at once.
My senses were the first to return. I could hear – properly now, not through some murky darkness. All I could make out were indistinct voices and the chatter of birds outside.
Not good – it meant I wasn't alone. Moreover, it meant that it was daytime which made slipping away harder.
I could twitch my hands and feet now, although I resisted the urge lest anyone was watching. I offered up a plea to the Mother, to anyone that was listening, that whoever was near was sufficiently distracted and that I would wake up a little faster.
It suddenly dawned on me that everything had gone silent around me.
I froze, going rigid. Had someone noticed a barest flicker of movement? Could they tell I was awake? I fought against my sluggish mind and frozen limbs. Just a little more…
A roar shattered through the silence, guttural and wild.
No, no, no-
I braced myself for the claws that would inevitably follow, the blinding rage as I was exposed.
The sound of an impact resounded, loud enough to shatter bone, followed by snarling and crashing.
A fight?
I needed to go. Immediately. It didn't matter if this was the invasion of another court or just Tamlin's temper getting the best of him – with the manacles still on my wrists, I had little hope of fighting and winning.
The fighting died away and I could have sighed in relief – if my breath had returned yet.
And then – warmth.
Not just the heat of sunshine on my skin, but a glowing from within me that made me pause. Rhys – Rhys was nearby.
I would know the presence of my mate if I was blind, if I were dead. He was here – he'd found me.
Rhys.
I fought the weight on my mind, my body, and gained inch by inch. I could scent him now – smell the jasmine and citrus scent that was twined with mine. He was near me somewhere – I would reach him.
Heat brushed my lips and I could have wept, wept for all the false kisses I had given Tamlin when I felt so alive at the brush of his lips on mine. I could feel him more and more – feel the heat radiating from him as he lingered close to me.
"Let's go home." A quiet whisper.
Yes.
Something was off in his voice, making me pause. Anger? Sadness?
Rhys knew I could hear him – didn't he?
I pushed that thought aside before it could reach a conclusion – a conclusion that might break my heart. I couldn't afford that now. If I could only move just a little…
I could feel myself being lifted against a hard male body - cradled in his arms.
He was speaking, growling at someone and I focused on the cadence of his voice. I would come back to him – I would reach him.
I strained and battled even as I remained still. This was my body – my mind. I would not be powerless over it.
I opened my eyes.
My beloved was above me, his violet eyes meeting my own. Shock flared there, just for a second.
But I was focused on the figure over his shoulder, blood dripping from him as he stared with fury and disbelief.
Tamlin.